5 Things That Make Horror Less Scary (And How to Fix Them)
Writing horror is one thing, writing good horror is another one entirely.
Horror is tricky. It’s easy to throw in monsters, gore, and creepy settings, but making something actually terrifying? That’s a different story entirely. Some horror books start off strong but lose their grip, and I think it’s because they fall into certain traps that dull the fear instead of sharpening it.
Here are five things that make horror less scary and how to fix them.
Remember the books from the last post? Let's use them as the perfect examples of great horror writing again!
1. Over-Explaining the Horror
Horror loses its impact when it hands the reader all the answers too soon. Fear thrives in mystery, in half-truths, in the unsettling sense that something is just beyond comprehension. When horror over-explains, it removes the tension, leaving nothing for the reader to fear.
Books that do it right: Night Film, The Yellow Wallpaper, Penpal
Nothing kills fear faster than too much explanation. Horror thrives in the unknown. Night Film is terrifying because it keeps you doubting reality, feeding you pieces but never giving you the full picture. The Yellow Wallpaper works because you experience the narrator’s descent, not because it tells you exactly what’s wrong. Penpal unsettles you by leaving gaps in the story, making you put the worst pieces together yourself.
How to Fix It:
Resist the urge to explain everything. Give just enough detail to make the reader’s imagination spiral. They're smart, they can figure it out. The scariest things are the ones we can’t fully understand.
2. Characters Who Don't React Like Real People
If a character doesn't behave like a real person, the horror falls apart.
Readers need to see fear, doubt, and hesitation-otherwise, the story feels artificial. Horror only works when we believe in the protagonist’s fear, when we see them reacting in ways that feel human.
Books that do it right: Mexican Gothic, The Mary Shelley Club
If your protagonist is walking into danger with no hesitation, ignoring every red flag, or making decisions that no sane person would make, the horror loses its grip. The best horror keeps characters human, afraid, uncertain, desperate to survive.
Mexican Gothic works because Noemí doesn’t just accept the horrors of the house, she fights them. The Mary Shelley Club is great because it leans into the psychology of fear, making every reaction feel real.
How to Fix It:
Let your characters feel the weight of what’s happening. Give them hesitation, terror, denial. Make them mess up, but make it believable.
3. Jumping to the Scares Too Fast
I’m going to hold your hand when I say this: fear builds over time.
If horror rushes into scares without letting tension simmer, the reader isn’t given a chance to feel unsettled. Sudden horror without buildup is just noise, it’s effective for a moment but forgettable afterward.
Books that do it right: What Moves the Dead, House of Leaves
Horror needs buildup. If the scary thing happens too fast, there’s no tension, no anticipation.
What Moves the Dead takes its time, letting the dread seep in before anything truly horrific happens. House of Leaves unsettles you long before it reveals anything outright terrifying. The slow descent is what makes it effective.
How to Fix It:
Let the reader anticipate the horror before you deliver it. Drag out the unease. Let them feel safe before you rip it away.
4. Horror That’s Just Gross, Not Scary
I mentioned it before, horror is way more than just blood and guts.
Body horror can be unsettling, but when it relies purely on shock value, it loses emotional depth. True horror isn’t just about grotesque visuals, it’s about making the reader feel something deeper than disgust.
Books that do it right: Gyo, Uzumaki, Tomie
That’s why Gyo still works. It takes something that would normally just be bizarre and amplifies it to a level where it becomes overwhelming, inescapable, and cosmic in scale. It makes you feel insignificant against it, like the horror is bigger than you. Uzumaki does this too, turning something as simple as spirals into an all-consuming force. Tomie is terrifying because it plays with themes of obsession, control, and identity, not just gore.
How to Fix It:
Horror needs to hit deeper than just disgust. Make the horror mean something, tie it to fear, to powerlessness, to transformation.
5. Giving the Reader Too Much Closure
Horror should linger, remember?
If every question is answered and every loose end is tied up neatly, the fear disappears. Great horror leaves gaps, spaces where the unknown can fester in the reader’s mind long after they’ve put the book down.
Books that do it right: Penpal, Night Film, House of Leaves
Penpal leaves just enough unanswered questions to keep you thinking about it long after it ends. Night Film keeps you guessing, just like its protagonist. House of Leaves makes sure you never feel entirely sure of what’s real.
How to Fix It:
Leave some doors open. Let the horror breathe past the ending. The fear shouldn’t end just because the book does.
Horror should make you feel something. If it doesn’t, it’s just a spooky story. The best horror sticks to your ribs, follows you into your dreams, and makes you hesitate before turning off the light.
What are some horror tropes that take you out of the story? Let’s talk about it.